FAIRMOUNT PARK COMMISSION, NATURAL LANDS RESTORATION & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM Fairmount Park Wissahickon Watershed, Gully Restoration Design-Build Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biohabitats restored seven reaches of eroded stream in one of Philadelphia’s most popular parks and golf courses.

rock from other projects, section of stream and restored woody debris, shredded hard- additional stream reaches wood, etc.). A final step was to above and below the piped redesign and construct trails section using natural channel in a fashion that would reduce design techniques. This im- their role in degradation while proved stream ecology, water enhancing the park experience quality, and course aesthetics for visitors. and integrity. Biohabitats also from left: Initial conditions with gully; Gully after restoration removed 600 feet of poor Two of the restoration sites condition cart path, re-routed hrough a design-build energy water, sediment, and were located within the Park’s traffic, installed a new section Tcontract with the City associated pollutants to the Walnut Lane Golf Course. At of asphalt cart path, and con- of Philadelphia, Biohabitats Wissahickon and its tributar- one site, gully erosion from structed a pedestrian bridge restored seven areas along ies. The stormwater-dominat- golf course runoff had become for golfers and a ford for Wissahickon Creek, a degrad- ed flow also caused further a safety hazard and was threat- mowing machines to cross the ed, highly urbanized stream erosion and degradation ening a fairway. Biohabitats restored stream. system running through within the same tributaries. restored the gully and head- the city’s Wissahickon Park. water stream using a regenera- SERVICES Stormwater discharge from Biohabitats first addressed tive stream channel technique Inventory & Assessments impervious areas outside of stormwater in the watershed which uses a carbon-rich sand Design the park and well-used trails through source controls (e.g., bed in combination with pools Permitting that were acting as conduits rain gardens and infiltration and riffle grade controls to Construction Procurement for runoff had caused gully practices), then restored the filter and provide safe, non- Construction Management erosion on steep slopes of eroded gullies and tributaries erosive stormwater runoff Management the creek. Upland trails were using natural, recycled materi- from the golf course. In Public Outreach converting into eroded gul- als available from Fairmount another part of the golf couse, Design-Build lies, and delivering high- Parks (e.g., surplus soil and Biohabitats daylighted a piped

conservation planning ecological restoration regenerative design

Physiographic Province Delaware Valley Bioregion Chesapeake/Delaware Bays 800.220.0919 Watershed www.biohabitats.com Wissahickon